Arizona St. atNo. 21 USC

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OFFENSE

Against Oregon, Matt Barkley threw two more interceptions to bring his troubling total to 10, but he also spread the ball around the field smartly. The Trojans had an effective ground game, which could be important today since Arizona State has allowed the lowest passing-yard average in the Pac-12 this season (161.6). Arizona State sophomore quarterback Taylor Kelly has the third-highest pass-efficiency rating in the Pac-12 (156.8). Arizona State averages 187.7 yards per game on the ground, but it is done mostly by committee. D.J. Foster, Cameron Marshall, Marion Grice and Kelly all have totaled between 316 and 393 yards, with Foster, a freshman, as the leading rusher.

DEFENSE

Arizona State's defense allowed an average of only 14.1 points in its first six games, but the Sun Devils then allowed an average of 40.1 points in losses to Oregon, UCLA and Oregon State. Still, the Sun Devils rank second in the Pac-12 with an average of 333.3 yards per game against. The Trojans have now allowed an average of 406.4 yards per game. Quarterback pressure will be big for both teams. The Sun Devils have 39 sacks in nine games and have a strong set of linebackers; USC's defensive front should also be able to test an Arizona State offensive line that has allowed 26 sacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS

USC's Andre Heidari has made 7 of 10 attempts while Arizona State's Alex Garoutte has made 6 of 11. Less tangible is the fact that, even though the teams' kick-return numbers are similar, the Trojans have the biggest potential game-breaker in Lee. USC and Arizona State rank second and fourth in the Pac-12 Conference in average kickoff-return yards, and both teams have been mediocre in kickoff coverage. Arizona State's Rashad Ross has a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown this season. USC and Arizona State are ranked first and second, respectively, in the conference in average net punting yards.

COACHING

Give credit to assistants Monte Kiffin and Ed Orgeron for taking responsibility for USC's defensive struggles — and taking the heat off the players. But nine games into the season, USC is publicly questioning its own defensive scheme. Arizona State's Todd Graham started his first season in Tempe with a 5-1 record but against light competition. The Sun Devils have lost three consecutive games but nearly took UCLA to overtime two weeks ago and were tied at halftime last week with a strong Oregon State team.

INTANGIBLES

The Trojans had their national-title hopes ended two weeks ago in Tucson, and last week's loss to Oregon put a further dent in their national profile. But if USC beats Arizona State, the Trojans will keep alive their Rose Bowl hopes. Arizona State, at 5-4, will become bowl-eligible with one more victory. Arizona State would love to come into the Coliseum and make a statement against USC, particularly since the Sun Devils haven't won on the Trojans' home turf since 1999, but there's little to suggest that the Sun Devils are bringing any momentum with them to Los Angeles.

MATCHUP TO WATCH

USC's offensive line has done a good job of protecting Barkley, who has been sacked only eight times in nine games. The Trojans are in for a test against the Sun Devils, who have recorded 39 sacks, second-most in the Pac-12. Arizona State defensive tackle Will Sutton leads the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks, while linebackers Carl Bradford and Brandon Magee have combined for 13 sacks. USC has a publicly stated goal of zero interceptions for Barkley in the next three games. If he faces pressure from the Sun Devils, he will need to make smart decisions with the ball.

PREDICTION: USC, 38-28

It's been 11 years since USC lost three consecutive games and since they lost back-to-back games at the Coliseum. The Trojans had a bit of collective hangover after their loss to Arizona, and were still hanging their heads a bit when Oregon ran past them. That won't happen again. Arizona State's offense can throw and its defense gets to the quarterback, making the Sun Devils a scary opponent. But the USC offense is clicking and it feels like it's time for the Trojans' defense to rebound.

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